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Jamie Carragher has lauded Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard in the wake of his hat-trick against Everton and believes the midfielder is a more rounded player than Manchester United greats Paul Scholes and Roy Keane.

It was the first hat-trick in a Merseyside derby since Ian Rush scored four in Liverpool's 5-0 win at Goodison Park in 1982, and Carragher insists his team-mates achievements deserve wider recognition.

"We all know he's in the upper echelons when it comes to Liverpool players, with most having him either first or second behind Kenny Dalglish, but when you look at a list of the greats to play in English football I'd say he is second only to Bobby Charlton in terms of the best midfielders there have ever been," Carragher is quoted in the Telegraph.

"You'd put Charlton No1 not only for his achievements with Manchester United, but because of the World Cup in 1966. Beyond that you'd have Graeme Souness, Alan Ball, Dave Mackay, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Glenn Hoddle, Gazza, Frank Lampard and Bryan Robson. For me, Stevie has eclipsed all of those for what he has done for Liverpool and England."

After Tuesday's victory, Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish admitted he was struggling to find the right words to describe Gerrard's performance and Carragher backed up his manager, saying the midfielder's influence would likely only be appreciated when he retired.

"In their era, the First Division was full of the best players in Britain, but now the Premier League has many of the best players in the world. I definitely think it's a case with Stevie that people will not fully realise how good he has been until he stops playing," the Liverpool defender added.

"It's been harder for him in many ways because when you spend an entire career at one club, the supporters see you as a youngster, remember all the mistakes you've made growing up and then when you get towards the end start to ask if you're the same player anymore. Even the great Liverpool players didn't have that because they didn't join until later or left before they were finished."

Meanwhile, Gerrard himself has not given up on Liverpool making a late push for a Champions League spot, despite trailing fourth-placed Arsenal by 10 points.

With just 10 games of the season remaining Gerrard acknowledged it was a tough sell to overtake Arsene Wenger's side but said he will not give up hope of securing qualification.

"It's a mountain to climb but we will never give up," Gerrard is quoted in the Guardian.

"We just have to try to win as many games as we can and see where it takes us. We won't give up on the top four until its impossible. You can talk about luck, things not going your way, but you have to take responsibility for putting the ball in the back of the net and against Everton it worked out for us."

Some good points but he lost me in the bold bit

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"You'd put Charlton No1 not only for his achievements with Manchester United, but because of the World Cup in 1966. Beyond that you'd have Graeme Souness, Alan Ball, Dave Mackay, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Glenn Hoddle, Gazza, Frank Lampard and Bryan Robson. For me, Stevie has eclipsed all of those for what he has done for Liverpool and England."

This is the bit that confused me.

What has he done with England and he has had a better club career than Souness, Scholes and Keane?

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Guest petercrotch

Xavi

My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder.

Zinedine Zidane

Rooney is one of the best players in the world and I love watching him play. But if you had to pick out only one, then for their history and for all that they have achieved it would have to be Paul Scholes or Ryan Giggs. They are two shining examples for any player.

Andres Iniesta

Everywhere I go the coaches all tell me that Scholsey is the player they admire. But if they think they’ll get him they’re wasting their time! Paul is a Manc lad pure and simple. He loves the club and there’s no chance of him leaving here. If ever he decided to go there would be a stampede, but he won’t be going, he’s here for life.

Sir Alex Ferguson (Jan 2003)

I’m not the best, Paul Scholes is.

Edgar Davids, in his prime

I told Moratti Scholes is a “mission impossible” man. It’s more than money with him. He was born just a few blocks away from Old Trafford. It`s about wearing United’s colours.

Inter owner Massimo Moratti’s adviser, Pino Pagliara (July 2000)

Out of everyone at Manchester United, I would pick out Scholes – he is the best midfielder of his generation. I would have loved to have played alongside him.

Pep Guardiola

I tell anyone who asks me – Scholes is the best English player.

Laurent Blanc

An amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being.

Roy Keane

I have no hesitation in putting a name to the embodiment of all that I think is best about football. It’s Paul Scholes. Players like Denis Law and George Best who I enjoyed so much as team-mates and now, finally, players I have watched closely in the Alex Ferguson era. And in so many ways Scholes is my favourite. I love his nous and conviction that he will find a way to win, to make the killer pass or produce the decisive volley.

Sir Bobby Charlton

The player in the Premiership I admire most? Easy – Scholes.

Patrick Vieira

He is the one whose level I aspire to. He is the best player in the Premier League.

Cesc Fabregas

I can’t understand why Scholes has never won the player of the year award. He should have won it long ago. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t seek the limelight like some of the other ‘stars’.

Thierry Henry

Nobody else in the world can play the way Scholes does. The passes he produces all over the field and the way he changes the game is brilliant. Every manager would like him. But luckily he is here and playing with us. Paul practices that all the time. When he has finished training he always goes out and shoots.

Dimitar Berbatov

Why isn’t he playing for England? It is crazy. Only in England. Scholes is a great, great player. So experienced and still, for me, one of the best in the world in midfield. Manchester United are lucky to have him.

Jose Mourinho

Paul Scholes had the best football brain I’d ever seen in a kid. Let’s face it. Paul Scholes is in a class of its own.

Brian Kidd

Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team – that goes to show how highly I have always rated him. He would have been one of the first players I’d have bought, given the chance.

Marcello Lippi

Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation.

Zinedine Zidane

He is a very complete, spectacular footballer. He always fights for the ball and tries to lose his marker to help his team-mates – either to defend or to have a shot on goal. For any football player in the Premiership, Scholes is a player you want to emulate. I would happily end my career with the medals that Scholes has. I am young and I hope that I will be able to surpass him – but it is not going to be easy.

Cesc Fabregas

Juan Sebasticn Veron while at Chelsea being asked in an interview who’s the best English player : “Paul Scholes.”

Paul Scholes is just fantastic. When you play alongside him, you realise what a special talent he is.

Michael Carrick

Very few players can do that, but Scholes is one of them – and I knew he was one of them. That’s why, without question, I think Paul Scholes is the best player in England. He’s got the best skills, the best brain. No one can match him.

Sir Alex Ferguson

England have lost their best player

George Best after Paul retired from international football

There isn’t a player of his mould anywhere in the world.

Glen Hoddle

For me, it’s Paul Scholes. He’ll do ridiculous things in training like say, “You see that tree over there?” – it’ll be 40 yards away – “I’m going to hit it”. And he’ll do it. Everyone at the club considers him the best.”

Rio Ferdinand

I wouldn’t swap Paul Scholes for anybody. He is quite simply the most complete footballer I have ever played with. He is the best.

Gary Neville

He’s always in the right position, always seems to be at the end of the box when the ball drops in. The complete midfielder – when he’s fit, he’s the best. Some go missing but he’s in the right place at the right time. He’s my favourite player of all-time, unbelievable. If you give him a chance it’s a goal, isn’t it?

Micah Richards

We won’t ever see another one like Paul Scholes. He is a legend and a real benchmark. He is not interested in the modern-day footballer’s life off the pitch, but he is a world-class player on it. He has probably never really got the true recognition he deserved outside of Manchester United because he never did the media. He didn’t do interviews and never put himself out for things like that. I cannot believe he has never been nominated for World, European or domestic individual honours because in his prime he was scoring 20 goals a season from midfield. It is astonishing he has never won a personal award, but given the choice of winning something and then having to get up and do the speech, I think he would rather not have won them!

Darren Fletcher

He’s the best one- or two-touch passer in the country. He sees the game unlike any other player.

Terry Venables

If you ask footballers to pick out the player they most admire, so many of them will pick Paul Scholes. He can tackle, and his passing and shooting is of the highest level. He’s the most consistent and naturally gifted player we’ve had for a long, long time.

Alan Shearer

Paul Scholes has been the best England midfield player for 30-odd years. You’d probably have to go back to Bobby Charlton to find someone who could do as much as Scholes. When the ball arrives at his feet he could tell you where every player on that pitch is at that moment. His awareness is superb.

Gordon Strachan

Paul, for me, is the best player in the England team. It worries teams. Speak to any other international team and they will single Paul out as England’s key player. For me, he doesn’t get the full credit that he deserves. He is a world-class player and deserves to be up there with the likes of Zidane and Figo.

Phil Neville

Scholes is one of the most complete footballers I’ve ever seen. His one-touch play is phenomenal. Whenever I have played against him, I never felt I could get close to him.

Eidur Gudjohnsen

For years Paul Scholes has been one of the best players in the Premiership. He’s incredible. He has always been under-rated throughout his career. He’s a team player, a one and two-touch footballer who makes good decisions on the pitch and makes his team play.

Thierry Henry

He has an awareness of what’s happening around him on the edge of the box which is better than most players. As a kid he always had a knack of arriving in the penalty area just at the right time, but he’s proving just as effective from outside the box because he’s using his experience in the right way. It doesn’t matter who I am thinking about bringing into my midfield, Paul Scholes will be included, as he would in any side in the world.

Pele

“If he was playing with me, I would score so many more.”

Ronaldo

“Scholes is the best i’ve played with and he helped me a lot when I was young. He’s amazing.”

Nasri

“Sad to hear Paul Scholes is retiring, great player, world class player, the English Zizou.”

“Why isn’t he playing for England? It is crazy. Only in England. Scholes is a great, great player. So experienced and still, for me, one of the best in the world in midfield. Manchester United are lucky to have him.”

Strachan

“He can score goals, hit crossfield passes, play one-twos, beat people and win headers in the opponents’ box, so if you take that whole package I don’t think I’ve seen anybody as consistent – and he’s been doing that for 10 or 11 years.”

Vennables

“He’s the best one- or two-touch passer in the country. He sees the game unlike any other player.”

Viera

“The player in the Premiership I admire most? Easy – Scholes”

Edgar Davids : ""Every one of us (midfielders) is just trying to become as good as him. Everyone can learn from Paul Scholes."

Edgar Davids : "I'm not the best, Paul Scholes is."

Zinedine Zidane : "My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder."

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Scholes is more an attacking midfielder though.

I couldn't compare him to Keane, what Keane did well Scholes doesn't and vice versa.

Scholes obviously has the eye because he was an attacker moved backwards, I think the same way Rooney would have a certain vision if he was moved back, but Rooney lacks Scholes' grace.

Scholes does almost everything right, spreads the play, positioning, late runs in the box, but he is not really a tackler and he gives the ball away a ridiculous amount which is never really highlighted (think England Brazil when Rivaldo scores).

I wouldn't say he was the most skillful midfielder, Hoddle and Gazza were above him but overall it's probably fair to say he has been the best in the last 20 years.

He is almost a clone of Bobby Charlton aswell.

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lol at scholes being better than gerrard, truly baffles me that most people think this.

:rofl:

Beg you come back with 15 replies of quotes like the ones Blackman Pete posted.

Even then I will still laugh at the attempt

Is he the best in the world? He might not get the attention of Lionel Messi and Ronaldo but yes, I think he just might be,' the former France captain said.

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lol at scholes being better than gerrard, truly baffles me that most people think this.

:rofl:

Beg you come back with 15 replies of quotes like the ones Blackman Pete posted.

Even then I will still laugh at the attempt

Is he the best in the world? He might not get the attention of Lionel Messi and Ronaldo but yes, I think he just might be,' the former France captain said.

Why is Scholes a much better player than Gerrard Seydou?

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When the ball arrives at his feet he could tell you where every player on that pitch is at that moment. His awareness is superb.

That summarizes him for me. Amazing passer but wouldnt say better tackler than Gerrard though.

/

Besides being a Lpool fan, why you like Gerrard more.

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When the ball arrives at his feet he could tell you where every player on that pitch is at that moment. His awareness is superb.

That summarizes him for me. Amazing passer but wouldnt say better tackler than Gerrard though.

/

Besides being a Lpool fan, why you like Gerrard more.

To me in his prime only Kaka had a better final ball than Gerrard, Scholes is better in some aspects and Gerrrard is better in others. There is a obvious reason why people would lean to Scholes more nowadays though.

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:/

Best front two in Europe? Don't be silly they wasn't even the best front two in England let alone Europe

Gerrard has never been and never will be one of the best passers in football

A hollywood ball here and there doesn't change that

Name me the players with better final balls in 09?

Then name me the best front two in England in the same time period as well.

A hollywood ball here and there lol, more like 79 assists mate, top 5 player with assists in English football.

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